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Mike Johnson, partnership manager at LAGAT in Corporation Street, said he had never seen people take drugs but said he has seen plenty of evidence it is happening in the area.

He said: “In our car park there have been syringes and empty packets.

“These people when they are a bit high, or drunk or whatever, they get very aggressive.

“We are concerned it will put our young clientele off coming to us.

“They are shouting from one end of the street to the other – they go into this weird state where everything stands still.

“I’m getting really concerned.”

The issue has apparently escalated over the last few months

Mr Johnson, who said he has notified both the police and the City of Lincoln Council about his growing concerns, also revealed his team have also found poo and wee stains at the back of their business.

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Matt Corrigan, chief executive of Lincoln BIG, said conversations have taken place with the police, but insisted a wider effort is needed to tackle the problem.

He said: “We were pleased to meet with the police crime commissioner last week and I think we recognise it is problem that involves a lot of agencies and people.

“It is not just about policing.

“It is about offering support to people.

“I think we are looking for some outcomes from that process.”

Mr Corrigan said his organisation is encouraging people to donate money to local charities who can help people, rather than giving the money to people on the street.

What are Mamba and Spice?

Both the drugs are synthetic cannabis substitutes, but tend to have a much more powerful effect on the user - effectively leaving them unaware of their surroundings.

Spice was invented accidentally in South Carolina by an organic chemist called John Huffman. He declared it unfit for human consumption in 2006, but it started to surface on websites a few years later.

Both drugs were initially classed as 'legal highs' when they came to prominence, but were banned last year if they were intended to be sold for human consumption.

Manufacturers have made changes to the formula in an attempt to get around the law, which means it is now impossible for user to know what they are taking and whether it contains an illegal substance.

What do you think?

Have you encountered a problem with use of mamba and spice in Lincolnshire? Is the problem getting out of control? What do you think is at the root of the problem? Leave a comment below this story, on our facebook page or email news@lincolnshireecho.co.uk